𝑺𝑬𝑬 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑨𝑮𝑨𝑰𝑵, javon walton

018

The next morning, Mae was determined to have a good day. She had plans to meet up with Javon again, looking forward to another date filled with laughter and fun. But as she and Anya were preparing to head out, Mae saw someone she dreaded crossing paths with—Léo, a guy who always found a way to bring up her mother in their conversations, making her uncomfortable every time.

"Great," Mae muttered under her breath as she spotted him.

Anya noticed her change in mood immediately. "Ignore him, Mae. He's not worth your energy."

Mae rolled her eyes, already feeling her day start to sour. "I wish he'd just leave me alone."

Léo, ever oblivious or just downright insensitive, waved obnoxiously as he headed toward the most difficult slope in the resort—"La Chute." It was a notorious black diamond run, one that had been a dream for Mae to conquer but also the one she feared the most. Her mother had tragically had an accident on that same slope years ago. The memory of it lingered in Mae's mind like a shadow she couldn't shake.

"Watch and learn, Mae!" Léo shouted from afar as he strapped on his snowboard. "I'm going to show you how it's done!"

Anya tensed beside Mae, grabbing her arm. "Mae, don't pay attention to him."

But Léo, with that smug grin, stood at the top of the slope and shouted again, "T'as vu, je suis pas mort!" He threw her a mocking wink and started his descent down the dangerous slope, gliding effortlessly. The reminder of her mother's accident hung heavy in the air.

Mae felt her heart thudding in her chest. The words cut deep, the fear, the grief—everything came rushing back. But then something changed. As she watched Léo glide down, she clenched her fists, her resolve hardening. She was tired of letting fear control her. She was tired of people like Léo treating her like she was fragile, like she couldn't face her fears.

"I'm doing it," Mae whispered, stepping forward with determination.

"What? No, Mae, you can't!" Anya grabbed her arm, panic rising in her voice. "You know what happened—don't let him get to you like this!"

"I have to, Anya. I can't let this control me forever," Mae said, her voice firm, though fear flickered in her eyes.

Anya shook her head desperately. "Please, Mae, think about this."

But Mae was already walking toward the lift, her heart racing as the realization of what she was about to do fully sank in.

Meanwhile, Javon had just arrived and noticed Anya pacing frantically, her eyes wide with stress. "Hey, what's going on? Where's Mae?"

Anya turned to Javon, her face pale. "She's... she's about to go down La Chute. You know, the one... where her mom—" Anya choked on her words, unable to finish the sentence.

Javon's face went serious immediately. "What? Where is she?!" His eyes searched the mountain, panic settling in as he spotted Mae getting onto the lift.

"We have to stop her!" Anya cried, practically vibrating with fear.

At that moment, Mae's father, Charles, walked up, noticing the tension. "What's happening? Why are you both so worried?"

Anya turned to him, her voice trembling as she explained everything in a rush. "She's... she's going down the same slope where... where her mom had her accident. We tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen!"

Charles's face went white. "What?" His voice was a mixture of disbelief and fear. He glanced up at the lift, where Mae was already ascending higher. "No, she can't... she can't do that."

Javon clenched his jaw, watching Mae's figure disappear into the distance as she approached the top of the slope. "I'm going after her," he muttered, his voice tight.

Anya grabbed his arm. "No, Javon, you can't catch her up there! She's already halfway up."

Charles stepped forward, gripping his coat tightly. "All we can do is wait for her to come down."

They all stood frozen, eyes locked on the peak of the mountain. Mae was at the top now, and the anxiety in the air was palpable. Charles's hands were trembling as he spoke. "She's not ready for this."

"She'll be okay," Javon said, trying to sound confident, but his voice faltered slightly. "She's strong."

Minutes felt like hours as they waited. Mae hadn't started her descent yet, and it made everyone even more nervous. Then, finally, they saw her—a tiny figure at the top, hesitating for a moment before pushing off.

Javon's breath caught in his throat. "There she goes."

Anya was gripping Charles's arm tightly, her nails digging into his jacket. "Please, please let her be okay," she whispered, tears threatening to spill.

Mae started slow, cautious, but soon the slope's steepness took over. She picked up speed, gliding down faster than she intended, her heart pounding in her ears. She was doing it, but it was terrifying.

"She's going too fast," Charles muttered under his breath, panic rising in his chest. "Slow down, Mae."

Anya's eyes were glued to Mae's figure. "Please, please be okay..."

But then, it happened. A sudden shift in the snow, Mae lost her balance. She veered to the side, tumbling. The fall was violent, her body rolling uncontrollably down the slope.

"Mae!" Javon screamed, already running toward the base of the slope. Anya and Charles followed, panic taking over their actions.

Anya was sobbing uncontrollably as she ran, falling into Charles's arms for support. "She's not moving! Javon, she's not moving!"

Javon's heart was pounding in his chest, his only thought being to reach Mae as fast as possible. He could barely hear Anya's sobs behind him. The sight of Mae lying motionless on the snow made his stomach twist painfully.

They reached her in a matter of moments, but it felt like an eternity. Mae was unconscious, her body limp and sprawled out awkwardly on the cold snow.

"Call for help!" Javon shouted, pulling out his phone with shaking hands.

Anya was sobbing into Charles's chest, unable to look at her best friend lying there so still. "Is she... is she breathing?" she choked out.

Javon's hands trembled as he checked Mae's pulse. "She's alive, but we need the medics now."

They stayed by her side, watching helplessly as the rescue team arrived, lifting Mae onto a stretcher. Javon, Anya, and Charles followed closely, their hearts in their throats as they prayed Mae would wake up.

But she didn't.

And as they watched the ambulance doors close, taking Mae away, the fear of what could happen next was suffocating.